I've somehow managed, without any conscious effort at all, to miss pretty much the entire career of Eels. They always seemed like the kind of band I'd like, I just never really got round to it. Praise the lord then for freebies 'cos this is mint. It's a great big happy-sad party song. It's so joyous that even the inclusion of a saxophone (something that would usually lead me to begin hurting both myself and those in close proximity) can't dampen my spirits.

"Have you ever made love to a beautiful girl, made you feel like it's not such a bad world," E asks. Well, yes. And when I don't, I'll pop this on, and dance like the over-excited nob that I am. It's amazing what a bit of bontempi organ and a few "Sha-na-na's" can do.

Review by Andrew Knight
www.eelstheband.com
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So good, we reviewed it twice

With so many bands trying to emulate each others’ sound and with the wave of new bands achieving success who have no right to it, when a band like The Lodger come along, you cannot help but punch the air and thank whatever it is that you believe in for restoring faith and hope in Britain’s music scene. They sing: ‘Many thanks you are one in a million’ and all we can do is reverse it and send it back with a big slap on the back.

Sounding like the best parts of early Blur mixed with the harmonies of The Magic Numbers and the hyperactivity of The Futureheads, the band’s debut single is one of the most wonderful moments of pop that we have heard all year. Be warned: we are not exaggerating. No, this song really is all that and then some. It’d be all too easy to pass it off as another piece of indie club night dance fodder, but it’s too good for that.

The B-sides to this limited release 7” single are equally fantastic. The whimsical ballad that is ‘Unsatisfied’ bursts with passion and a cracking set of vocals from the band’s sophisticated front man, Ben (with seemingly no last name), is then proceeded by a simple ‘Let’s Make a Pact’ with only Ben and his guitar to entertain us but they succeed in making us feel very warm inside and it entices us to listen to the record again, and again, and again, and again…you get the idea. Buy this record, or you’ll be kicking yourselves when they’re waving their sceptres in your face, sat on their thrones as the rightful Kings and Queen of British Indie. Glorious!

Review by Jason Edwards

According to Graham Coxon he is very happy with where he's found himself. Musically he's producing the most accessible, brilliantly poppy work of his solo career and without the restraints of being in a band he'll hopefully go onto to create more of the same colourful works when he decides to put his painting palette down. So it's little wonder then that numerous new acts are slowly revealing themselves who have a sweet Coxon flavour and a flowery popular acoustic sound.

The Lodger is Ben, Lisa and Bruce and they hail from where everything is brilliant right now, Leeds. Their first purchasable musical offering entitled 'Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion' and is in everyway how the opening clause reads. The lyrics are deliberately vacant of any gloss. This is brutal to the point of primeval emotion. There's very little else in the lyrics, which is what gives them a slightly but massively misleading dumb sound.

The title track is a high-octane melancholic, punishing almost satirical song damning a loved one for the bitter sweet treatment that our protagonist has received in whatever relationship they may have had. There's no frills here. The beat is nothing special except for the speed. The strings are played out unaffected. The Coxon simultaneous simplicity and complexity blankets the entire song.

On a Thursday night do you feel safe?
I see you walking in slightly late.
Is it a fashion thing out of date.
I see you walking in in such a state.

Hanging in circles,
With beautiful people,
It's good to feel part of something.
What are you wearing?
I'm almost past caring.
You're bound to feel unsatisfied.

The boys are closer now,
Do you feel safe?
Have you other friends?
How do they rate?
Can you suffer me?
Do I grate?
She's not an idiot,
She's my mate.

Beautiful things hang with beautiful twins,
Its so good to feel part of the gang.
Follow like sheep but I'm falling asleep.
Do you want to be part of my band?
Follow the dream I shed all self-esteem,
And you're bound to feel unsatisfied.

What are you wearing?
I'm almost past caring.
You're bound to feel unsatisfied.

These are the beautiful and gloriously normal words from the first of the two included B-sides entitles, 'Unsatisfied'. It's difficult not to relate to them. They have a particular relevance for me. They are vague and specific at the same time. Although the words take a pretty downhearted tone, a point of view of an outsider observing the uber-cool and/or someone they care about, the music is surprisingly upbeat. Cheerfully twangy and sweetly strummed at a skipping sort of pace. It's all about the contradictions.

The third and final track, 'Let's Make A Pact', is another carefree chord enriched song on which only a guitar accompanies the vocals. Although the arrangement may have changed for the finale the tone hasn't. Ben sings about the privacy of feelings and how are twisted and changed when others learn about them. Grossly short but a subtle masterpiece.

'Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion' is a fresh new sound that may not be as immediately groundbreaking as Graham's first solo offerings were but as is always said: nothing is new. The Lodger has recorded a single here that breaks into your teenhood and lays all that angst to rest with a violently smothering cuddle and a few choice words. And the fact that I've probably mentioned Graham Coxon in this review more than I have the names of The Lodger's band member can only be a compliment in itself.

Enjoy this song.

Review by Dean Samways
www.thelodger.net
Watch the video for 'Many Thanks for Your Honest Opinion' on our downloads page
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To tail it off there is a video-flyer for one of their gigs. A ten-second film clip of abstract, urban shots that was sent round on MSN Messenger. Makes a change from picking up a beer-soaked photocopy in a student-union bar. Where so many band sites now feature those irritating, thirty-second clips of their tunes, the sort where the sound quality is so low that it sounds like the bass player is twanging an elastic band, Big Cash Prizes have filled their webspace up with stuff that is more than just an advert for a forthcoming EP. The two original tunes on here are great, but it’s the extras, the videos and remixes, that colour-in the bands identity. If you’ve just had your head blown off at one of their gigs, this stuff gives you an even bigger impression of what it is they are about without leaving you feeling that it’s only up here until they can get it released on CD so the generous public will go out and pay for it.

Review by Chris Helsby
www.bigcashprizes.net
www.radiosilence.moonfruit.com
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So, who hasn’t heard of Coldplay by now? Their brand of inoffensive, chart seducing, heartfelt-balladry is near impossible to escape of late. Products are sold to us with their glossy pop songs, alongside places, events and lifestyles. Musically, Coldplay aren’t exactly the type of band that are going to push barriers, or break new ground. They have obviously found their market, and therefore have little reason to change their formula; after all, it sells them millions of records. With this in mind, I hardly expect to hear breakbeats or thrash metal riffs as I put the CD into the player. Of course, my cynicism proved to be correct, as the piano-driven Speed of Sound begins its assault upon my ears. It’s nothing that we haven’t heard before, and owes more than a passing resemblance to previous release Clocks. There’s the familiar rasp in Martin’s voice, the drumbeat that only accompanies rather than drives – the only adventurous part appears to be the bassline, entering during the second verse which gives the song a more upbeat, bouncy feel. The chorus almost saves the song, with Martin launching into his now famous falsetto mode, creating a more heartfelt, meaningful few lines. Aside from this, not much it seems has changed since the previous Coldplay release. Regardless of this, it is undoubtable that the following album will be a million-seller, but time will only tell us whether Coldplay’s formula will work forever.

Review by Ben Wykes
www.coldplay.com
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I must admit, when I put the cd on I was shocked to hear the track was a ballad, having only previously heard The Scaramanga Six's 'The Electricity Bill' (which isn't much short of a traditional british punk song) on the Silver Rocket club sampler. Since this time last year they have definately mellowed a little, or the tracks they've decided to put out on their single have, having said that, you can still see obvious parallels between the new tracks and their slightly older stuff.

Even more suprising is their employment of the Heponstall Youth Orchestra, (as well as guest musicians Mike Scott, Helen Creig and Stephen Gilchrist) to back their guitar rock band sound with a powerful string arrangement. the two contrasting styles of play definately compliment one another, as well as the howling male vocal, yet I'm still not all too excited about their sound. It is however, a very decent pop song based on out of context lyrics and a very strong melody with rocky guitar and drums spiralling out of control every so often. Luckily, the b sides 'Elemental' and 'Throning Room' (both are session versions) are more lively, yet still manage to retain the release's super cheesy sound. After braving the first two tracks, on with the third, a montage of hectic fast pased intrumental and shouty vocal, this is what we really wanted from The Scaramanga Six all along. Enough of the father pleasers ('Horrible Face' and 'Elemental') and more of this. Seriously, its not half bad!

Review by Thomas Highstreet
www.thescaramangasix.co.uk
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HelloGoodbye’s debut EP has been released on Drive-Thru – which, as we all know is the home of much diet-punk average-ness. However, before you write them off as callow teen-punk losers, let me tell you a little bit more about the band that “started out as a casual recording project in one boy’s bedroom”…

Fortunately, watered-down punk-pop isn’t on the agenda at all. Opening track ‘Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn’ is an annoyingly-good exercise in disorientating, experimental power-pop; ‘Bonnie Taylor Shakedown’ is squeaky heartbreak and ‘80s bounce propelled by an irresistible ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’-esque riff; ‘Dear Jamie…’ sounds uncannily like The Postal Service (if they cheered up and started rocking out).

However, they lose their way elsewhere with the particularly-unfunny joke-masquerading-as-a-song that is ‘Jesse Buy Nothing…’. Similarly, the spoof Velvet Underground artwork (they use an avocado instead of a banana) screams ‘wacky’ at you.

All in all, though - an unexpected pleasure. Possibly the most fun you can have in a boy’s bedroom without ending up in court. Just ask Michael Jackson… (“Jesus Juice” not included!)

Review by Tom Leins
www.hellogoodbye.net
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As a general rule of thumb, I don’t do rock. As a hater of “shouty” music I avoid it and wait for something decent to come along that doesn’t offend my ears too much. Emerging from the pocket of music that is Medway, Kent, Three Children Of Fortune are one of these groups – not inoffensive in a boring way, but in an oh-look-we-can-do-melody way. ‘Scarlet Fever’ opens with a scuzzy guitar intro reminiscent of Placebo and Pavement, which stops dead to introduce the clean cut vocals that define this track. Its chorus is full of melodies which complement the distorted guitar work going on throughout, and contrasts the more basic “quieter” sections of simple vocals. It’s a good track and a good introduction to the band’s influences (Pavement, Sonic Youth, Slint).

Meanwhile' Flesh & Bone' is a track that tears through your speaker while maintaining the vital grasp on melody that I need in rock music – in spite of hinting at their ability to shout along with the best wannabes, the track is like a self-contained bubble of energy. The most noticeable little gem is in the lyrics – “I need a little romance baby, I need a little luck, I’d settle for a letter babe, I’d settle for a f…….onecall” – always one for raising a smile. The handy inclusion of the video for 'Scarlet Fever' is a nice touch too, and shows the kind of dark surroundings the music would sound best in. I like Three Children Of Fortune – firstly because they’re a welcome change from the usual rock blurb, and secondly because they made me sit up and listen to a genre I normally run from screaming. Nice work!

Review by Marie-Clare Kelly
threechildrenoffortune.com
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Review by Sonia Pagliari
www.fatnortherner.com
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My knowledge of folk music starts at Johnny Cash and ends with Damien Rice while taking a short detour via Jack and Meg White and it only has three chapters so forgive me if this piece is somewhat uneducated.

According to the PR spiel on the reverse of the promo digipak Dylan is a fan Marc Carroll and it's not difficult to see why. The piano and string set-up for 'A Way Back Out Of Here' is not immediately identifiable as something Bob would appreciate but when Carroll's vocal chords begin to hum into song there's little doubt that this is exactly the sort of thing Dylan would embrace. Sitting in his rocking chair that he must own, creaking the decking on his front porch whistling away the afternoon hours while occasionally strumming along with his guitar.

The single is so very sombre and chronicles a dream of living in a more comfortable place without a care in his own little neverland. This is an ungraspable idea of escapism. The strings stretch the song until it gains an epic like status. A drifting, hazy picture of where he'd like to be.seemingly anywhere but here with nobody but his nearest and dearest. This isn't pop but then pop doesn't move you like this.

The first b-side is more instrument driven with the introduction of guitars that pattern the song with numerous solos and textures it with layers that's are absent in the first. Layers of structure as well quilted padding that fills out the song to create a far greater song like feeling rather than a statement.

The final track is a cover originally penned by Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills and Nash fame (ask someone of many years who like wearing plaid shirts). The chorus however sounds like it's been taken from a Skee-Loo track. Surely 90s hip-hop wasn't that educated in the straw chewing hip replacement swaggering ways of 60s country western?

Only for the folk fan really. Only for those who are in touch with their emotions. Nicely penetrating and overwhelmingly calming.

Review by Dean Samways
www.marccarroll.com
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This demo by Bristol based punks Fahrenheit 451 comes on like that know-it-all friend you sometimes invite to the pub. The friend who talks at great length and depth about any and every subject, who inflicts their opinion on all those in earshot, while you sit listening feeling that you should question them, before ultimately realising that it's probably not worth the effort.

Take the first track 'Science is Everything' for example. The lyrics are as geeky as you'd expect from the title, as singer Jez proclaims that "the world is more complicated than it seems, a series of noughts and ones", and that strangely "you don't know a thing about sociology". The whole science theme is cemented by a sample from Darren Aronofsky's Pi film about how the world can be plotted through maths. The fact that the opening line to the next song is "everything you know is wrong" doesn't help the slightly sarcastic attitude that this band excerpt. The track warns of how the whole world's media airwaves are controlled by 'the man' but also depressingly states that "you can't save the nation". So is there really no hope, F451? Judging by its title, the last song The New Empire (And How To Undermine It) should offer us a solution to this mess, but instead it climaxes by repeating the line "you've got to find out where your money goes". Mine goes on CDs and extortionate bills, but realising that doesn't make me feel much better about the world.

Musically F451 offer a strange mixture of fast, foot-on-the-monitor eighties riffs with machine gun drumming and sneery, Johnny Rotten-esque vocals. It's not particularly cohesive but it works in a speed-driven guttersnipe punk kind of way, meaning that even if their cynical, brainy words annoy you as much as they do me, there is still some fun to be had here. Damn know-it-alls.

Review by Ian Viggars
www.thestartoftheendoftheworld.co.uk
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The Maus Maus describe themselves as a multi genre band. Their sounds is described as R&B, hip-hop and spiky alt-rock. My first thoughts are that they are another Do Me Bad Things which made me exclaim “Do I Have To Listen To This?!!!”

On listening to the first track 'Ataraxia' I was relieved to hear a tune that was very easy on the ear.. This is an infectious shimmering summer tune. The chorus is extremely catchy and should be an instant radio hit. It doesn’t break any barriers but it’s a light slice of R&B with a great melody. On one listen that chorus will not leave your head and will swirl around until you force it to leave!

The other tunes are a bit bland but passable, if you are partial to a more R&B sound then this one is for you.

Review by Sonia Pagliari
www.themau-maus.com
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